Microsoft is moving to quash claims that its antispyware tool is now giving preferential treatment to adware maker Claria.

The beta version of Microsoft AntiSpyware previously recommended that users quarantine several products from Claria, but this changed last week. According to a statement published by Microsoft, the downgrade in threat level merely represents an effort to be "fair and consistent with how Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) handles similar software from other vendors." The news comes at a sensitive time, as Microsoft is reportedly in acquisition talks with Claria.